Traction-wheel.



G. N. HDDLER.

TBAGTION WHEEL. APPLICATION HLE MAY2919I7.

Patented May 7, 191,8.

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WITNESSES ATTOR N EY UNITED STATES PA'IENT4 OFFICE.

GEORGE N. FIDDLER, 0F POLLOCK, SUUTH DAKOTA.

'rammen-WHEEL.

Application filed May 29, 1917.

To al -wkom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE N. FIDDLER, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Pollock, in the' county of Campbell and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful r1`raction-Vt7heel, of which the Vfollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to traction wheels for tractors.

An object of the invention is to provide a construction which will grip the ground irrespective of weather or soil conditions and in which the gripping roperties do not depend upon the weight ci) the `tractor but are due to the spade-like construction which bites or digs into the soil.

.1 further object ot' the invention is to provide a construction which can be maintained free of mud, clay or gunibo, so that the operating1r expenses of the tractor will be reduced to a minimum by reason of the fact that it will always maintain a good footing und will not full load.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, in which: '4

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my 1mproved traction Wheel with part of the framework of the tractor shown in section'I Fig. 2 is a detail perspective vlew on a larger scale with one of the grips attachedl tothe wheel.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through a rim and one of the grips, show'- ing another grip in elevation.

As herein illustrated,"the frameworkoof' the tractor is indicated at 1 and is supported by the usual tractor Wheels, one of which is shown at 2, said` Wheels being mounted upon an axle 3 and provided wlth spokes 4 and a Wide rim 5.

Arranged around the periphery or outside of this rim, at each side thereof, are

a plurality of grips, the grips 'at one side` of the rim being staggered with relation to the grips at the opposite side, as shown in Each of said grips comprises s. plate `or channel spade 7 arranged in a vertical plane at the edge of the rim and extending inwardly and outwardly therefrom. The inner face of the plate 1s provided with a securing flange 8 extendin over the outside of the rim and attached hereto by means Specification of Letters Patent.

slip ivhen pulling a` Patented May '7, 1918.

Serial No. 171,678.

of suitable bolts 9. The flange 8 is preferably` formed integral with the plate 7, is arranged at substantially right angles thereto and projects therefrom substantlally mid way between the inner and outer edges of the plate. The outer edge of each ofthe plates 7 or channel spades is sharpened, as indicated at 10, so that it will easily bite or dig into the soil. The channel spades or plates are arranged circumterentially around the wheel and prevent skidding, and also serve to mark out the path of the tractor.

Projecting from the outer face of each of the channel spades 7 is an integraltrac tion spade 11 arranged in a plane radial to the wheel and at right angles to the channel spade 7 and substantially midway between the ends thereof. The outer edge of the traction spade 11 is sharpened as at 13 and rejects a short distance beyond the outer siiarpened edge 10 of the channel spade. The ,traction spades 11, as the wheel rotates, dig into the soil and provide a rr fp oting so that the tractor wheels will not s 1p. y

In order to retain the grip securely upon the wheel, a brace 14 is connected at one end 15 to the inner portion of the grip adjacent the inner edge of the traction spade and at its opposite end 16 to the inside of the rim substantially as shown in Fig. 3, being secured by the same fastening .bolt or rivet as the flange 8, thereby securely bracing the grip in its position. The grips are arranged at opposite sides of the vwheel rim. as shown, with a space of, say, twelve inches between the traction spades.

Great diiculty has heretofore been experienced in preventing mud. clay or gulnbo from accumulating upon the rim of the Wheel. Such accumulations retard the progress of the machine, it being impossible for the wheels to obtain suflicient traction for easy locomotion. VTo clean the mud from the rim and to prevent its accumulation between the channelspades, I have provided a lever 17 which is pivoted intermediate its ends at 18 to the framework 1 adjacent the operator and to the rear of each of the traction wheels. The lower arm of the lever is provided with a scra. er blade 19 adapted to engage the rim of t e wheel between thechannel spades 11. as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, so that as the wheel rotates, the mud will be scraped from the 4of weather conditions or the softness of the soil. The .traction and channel spades, however, never need cleaning, as their arrangement is such that the mud very easily drops olf the same.

Heretofore manufacturers of tractorsl have been compelled to depend u'pon weight in order to obtain the necessary traction.

With this invention about one-third of the.

Weight of the machine heretofore considered necessary to insure suiicient traction 'may be eliminated with a corresponding reduction in operating expenses. When the tractor wheels have a poor .purchase on the ground they are liable to slip backwardly when under heavy load and this involves a loss of time and fuel.

As an example of the size and arrangement of thc parts, the tractor wheel may be assumed to have a rim fourteen inches wide w ith the traction spades about twelve inches apart, the channel spades about four inches long peripherally of the rim and four inches apart at their adjacent ends. The traction blades may be about tive inches long and project radiallytfrom the ri'm about half of an inch more than the channel blades. These dimensions are, however, not at all obligatory.

lVhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction herein shown and described, for obvious modifications will he apparent to anyone skilled in the art.

What is claimed is l. In a grip for a traction wheel, a channel spade adapted to be attached to the rim at the edge and to extend longitudinally therewith, a traction spade extending from the outer face of said channel spade at right angles thereto and transversely of the rim, said channel spade and traction spade being formed in one casting and having straight ground engaging edges, the ground engag ing edge of the traction spadebeing extended beyond theground engaging edge of the channel spade, and means for securing the grip to the rim.

Qa In a grip. for a traction wheel, a casting comprising a plate forming a channel i le adapted to be arranged longitudinally ci tie wheel rim and projecting outwardly sind inwardly beyond the rim, a flange project-ing from one face of said plate intermediate of the outer and inner edges and coextensive with the length of said plate and adapted to be attached to the outer face of the rim of the wheel, and a second plate projecting from the opposite face of the firstmentioned `plate at right angles thereto and arranged radially, providing a traction ,spade adapted to grip the soil.`

3. In agri for traction wheels, a channel spade adapted to be arranged lon itudinally of the wheel rim at the outerve ge thereof and projecting outwardly and inwardly lbeyond the same, a flange projecting inwardly from the inner face of said channel spade a; a point between the inner and outer edges of the same and providing attachin for connectin the channel spade to tie outer face of the W eel rim, a traction spade ar ranged at right angles to the channel spade and projecting at its outer edge beyond the outer edge or' the channel spade, and separate means for connecting the inner ortion of the channel spade to the inner .ace of the rim.

4.. The combination with a traction wheel having a rlm, of a channel spade attached means to the edge of the rim, projecting outwardly and inwardly therefrom in a longitudinal line, a iange projecting from an intermediate portion of the inner face of said channel spade and adapted to overlap the rim, means for securing said flange to the rim, a traction spade projecting from the outer face of said channel spade at right angles thereto, the outer edges of both spades being sharpened and the outer edge of the traction spade projectin beyond the outer edge of the channel spa e, and a brace connecting the inner end of said channel spade to the inside of the rim.

5. In a grip for traction Wheels, a channel spade adapted to be arranged longitudinally of-the wheel rim at the outer edge thereof, and projecting inwardly and outwardly from said rim, a ilange projecting inwardly from said channel 'spade and .arranged lengthwise the same at a point intermediate of the vinner and outer edges and providing attaching means for connecting the same to the Wheel rim, and a traction spade arranged at right angles to the channel s ade and projecting at'its outer edge beyon the outer edge of the channel spade, the channel spade, flange and traction spade being formed of one casting and the outer ed "es of the channel spade and traction spade eing sharpened. y

n testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. 

